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Historical Dictionaries

Consumer Revolution

Many historians argue that the eighteenth century witnessed a consumer revolution, a dramatic change in the purchasing and consuming habits of individuals on both sides of the Atlantic. The early Industrial Revolution led to increasing capacity to produce large quanities of goods at lower prices. The quantities and variets of goods changed significantly from the 1720s through the 1770s, with rapidly changing fashions and increasing choices. As these goods became accessible and affordable, women and men throughout the colonies began to buy, wear, use, and drink imported merchandise.